Earlier today, a 3-day hunger strike was launched in the HDP office in Mersin in solidarity with DTK (Democratic Society Congress) Co-chair and HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) MP for Hakkari, Leyla Güven, who is in the third week of her hunger strike against the aggravated isolation imposed on Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

As the hunger strike continued, police forces raided the HDP office and conducted a search inside.

While all the streets leading to the HDP office were blocked by the police and closed to traffic, lawyers were prevented from entering the office. 10 people have been taken into custody after the search ended. Those detained include HDP provincial branch co-chair Zuhal Önen.

HDP Mersin MP Rıdvan Turan, who is also at the scene, said that; “Our friends are being detained at the moment for trumped up reasons. Searches continue in the building which is under blockade.”

On the other hand, it has been reported that police called HDP executives today noon and threatened them, saying; “Tell us the names of those joining the hunger strike. Otherwise we will raid the building and conduct detentions.”

Lawyers stated that 10 people partaking in the hunger strike action were taken into custody for allegedly being members of an illegal organization as part of an investigation launched by Mersin Public Prosecutor’s office.